Asian Movies and Media: Two-Stage Sisters and Red Sorghum - Essay Example

Name Instructor Subject Date of Submission Asian Movies and Media The transition between tradition and modernity or post modernity has always been a tradition among communities. This has led to there being a lot of tangible tension between these two different ways of life. Chinese movies are works of art that bring out this issue clearly, depicting omen as the center subjects. This essay is an attempt to analyze this issue, elaborating two Chinese movies, and pointing out instances where the tension between tradition and modernity or post modernity has played out, featuring a woman character. Two Stage Sisters This is a 1964 drama film produced by Shanghai Tianma Film Studios and directed by Xie Pin. The film features Xia Fang and Cao Yindi. This movie was made before the Cultural Revolution where there was widespread change from the traditional Chinese culture to the modern lifestyle. However, as expected, this was to bring a lot of tension, especially on the part of the females. The film is centered on the traditional opera art, where these two sworn sisters Chunhua and Yuehong are involved. The former’s mother, who later passes on in the movie, leaving the two sworn but not blood sisters to the mercies of the world, trains these two. According to the Chinese tradition, the man is more influential, and therefore, the richer someone is, the more power he has to dictate the lives of others, especially in terms of marriage. This is clearly seen when Yuehong declines marrying a rich provincial property owner, Ni, who had invited them to perform opera for him, and eventually ended up liking Yuehong. Traditionally, people expect that when a rich person was a woman, she readily agrees to his marriage proposal. However, Yuehong, being slowly modernized to a new way of life declines, which leads to her kidnapping. The authority is in the hands of the rich folks, according to Chinese traditions. This enables Ni to access the services of the cops during one of Yuehing’s performances and arrest her for forceful marriage. Chunhua is also arrested in the process. She is tied to a pillar as a way of humiliating her in public. The two escape this predicament by Xing and A’Xin (troupe members) bribing the police for their release. After going through hard times following the death of their mother, they start performing for an opera manager Tang in Shanghai, who develops them to become some of the biggest opera acts in the city. This leads to Tang abandoning his former star and lover Shang Shuihua. As the movie develops, there is a clash of interest between the traditional reserved Chinese woman as seen in Chunhua and the modernized and outgoing Chinese woman as seen in Yuehong. After they move to Shanghai and realize their potential of being very big stars, Yuehong quickly becomes tired of the idea that she will be performing opera for the rest of her life. Instead, she wants something big. Therefore, she decides to marry the opera manager, Tang, who already has a wife. Yuehong is very cautious with Tang and does not trust him. She advises her sworn sister not to marry the man since it seems as if the man has another wife. According to the Chinese traditions, a second wife is not a big deal, and that is why Tang sticks to the idea of marrying her. However, Chunhua is also for the traditional Chinese ways of women carrying themselves with respect. Therefore, in such a situation, her sister should not marry Tang. With the introduction of modernity and reflective thinking, being someone’s mistress just to avoid performing opera for a lifetime seems a good idea to Yuehong. As the plot unfolds, Chunhua meets another radical Chinese journalist who lauds her for her efforts in opera. She urges her to teach the other Chinese women the art for them to be self-dependent. Traditional Chinese women relied on their husband for almost everything. By teaching the other Chinese women the art of performing opera, it would be a revelation in that they would be able to earn a living on their own. In this way, the Chinese women would be more reflective in their thinking and be able to distinguish between falsehood and truths that are hidden from them by this man-dominated society. She takes the advice of this woman and starts performing like an opera adaptation of Lui Xun’s ‘The New Sacrifice.’ This act of Chunhua enlightening other women and using opera to help them think independently does not augur well with the KMT regime. It is expected that women are submissive and listen to their husbands in the Chinese tradition. However, with Chunhua;s efforts, women will now start becoming a revolutionary and demand for their rights. This is, therefore, against the Chinese tradition, but a way of women transition from the traditional way of living of the modern Chinese woman who is independent and freethinking. The regime plans with Tang to destroy Chunhua’s reputation. They, therefore, file a suit against her. Tang convinces Yuehong to testify against her sworn sister in an effort to defeat her and put her revolutionary efforts to an end. At the crucial moment, Yuehong faints. After Chunhua’s drama, Tang abandons Yuehong who feels so ashamed to face her sister. However, towards the end of the movie, the two marks a tearful and emotional reunion. Yuehong vows to learn her lesson. Chunhua decides to dedicate her life to performing revolutionary opera to enlighten women. This is a transition from the traditional China to the modern China, which coincides with the birth of the People’s Republic of China. Red Sorghum This 1987 Chinese movie is centered on a woman who works in a distillery for sorghum liquor. The story is based on Nobel laureate Mo Yan’s story, Red Sorghum Clan. It is directed by acclaimed director Zhang Yimou and features Gong Li. This movie is an elaboration of the transition of the traditional Chinese woman from a laid back and dependent person to being independent and a leader. It is a narration from a grandson’s perspective. He recalls the life of his grandmother, Jiu’er who was sent by his parent to a pre-arranged marriage. Just like any other traditional society, the poor had little influence in some life events such as marriage. Therefore, the poor girl could do little in terms of choosing her own suitor. Furthermore, the marriage would help her poor parents. The parents agree to the young girl to marry an old man who owned a distillery. As Jiu’er’s wedding party crosses a sorghum field, a bandit attacks them but they are saved by a hired sedan who develop an affair with Jiu’er. After the death of her husband, the winery turns to her for leadership. This is the point where the transition from the traditional laid back and reserved woman to a more aggressive Chinese woman takes place. Jiu’er leads the winery to new heights, realizing even bigger successes with the distillery than what was experienced under her husband’s leadership. She inspired the workers to work extra hard and take a new pride in their wine. This is a new element coming from a Chinese woman. The society was used to the idea that leadership was only for men. It was unusual that the men working at the winery would accept her leadership. Furthermore, it was unlikely that a woman’s leadership would inspire them. In fact, probably many expected that after the husband’s death, the winery would collapse, probably due to poor management and withdrawal of the workers. However, this is a case of transition from tradition to modernity, where the society accepts a woman’s leadership. The man who had saved her life (the sedan hired) came back looking drunk and disorderly after the death of her husband. According to the traditional perspective, the man expected Jiu’er to accept readily him since she did not have a husband. Furthermore, he expected her to take him willingly and wholly since he felt like she owed her after saving her, and after the initial intimacy they had had. However, Jiu’er continues to show the modernity in her by declining him for being drunk and disorderly. She tosses him, but after the man insists that she will sleep with her in her bedroom. This leaves the man to sleep in the liquor vat. This is another case of modernity and movement away from a tradition where the woman was expected to be submissive and take anything from the man. By so doing, Jiu’er asserts her authority, leaving the man nothing but to respect that. In the movie, there is also an element of despising on the part of the women, coming from the men. Traditionally, men are filled with ego and do not take lightly to their effort being turned down by a woman. After the workers rescued Jiu’er from some kidnappers who had asked for a ransom, the man comes again when the workers are preparing the first batch of liquor. He urinates in the liquor vats in an attempt to anger Jiu’er for turning her down. However, this serves as a disguised blessing for her as his urine makes the liquor better than it has ever been. The war begins and the Imperial Japanese Army troops invade the area. This scene also marks the leadership element in Jiu’er, who inspired and leads an attack against the Japanese troop. Although she dies in the process of fighting against the Japanese, she leaves a legacy as the woman who offered leadership and bravery to fight the Japanese. This movie is an elaboration of the Chinese society change in their perspective for women. It also shows a modernized Chinese woman who moves from the usual backbench role assumed by traditional Chinese woman to the leadership role seen in modernized Chinese women; she has successfully led her winery to successes better than her husband’s did. She also gathers the bravery and courage and inspires the workers and people living in her area to fight against the Imperial Japanese Army troops. References Hagedorn, Jessica. “Asian Women in Film: No Joy, No Luck.’ Facing Difference: Race, Gemder, and Mass Media (1997): 32-37. Marchetti, Gina. “Two Stage Sisters: The Blossoming of a Revolutionary Aestheticv.” Jump Cut 34 (1989): 95-106). Xiao, Zhiwei, and Yingjin Zhang. Encyclopedia of Chinese Film. Routledge, 2002. Read More